Automatic switch control for vehicle signal lights



March 3, 1931. C. H, HEMSTOCK 1,794,852

AUTOMATIC SWITCH CONTROL FOR VEHICLE SIGNAL LIGHTS Filed Feb. 2'7. 1930 2 SheeiS-Sheef vl muy i 17.151" dllllllllllllllllllflltl" Wannlunw M March 3, 1931. C, H HEMSTOCK 1,794,852

AUTOMATIC SWITCH CONTROL FOR VEHICLE SIGNAL LIGHTS Filed Feb. 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Imii'li'ianw @47j mummntlllll- IIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIM I 'V @im Patented Mar. 3, 1931 CLIFFORD HaHEMSTOCK, OF EAST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT AUTOMATIC SWITCH CONTROL FOR VEHICLE SIGNAL LIGHTS Application led February 27, 1930. Serial No. 431,802.v

This invention relates to an automatic switch-control for vehicle signal-lights, the object being to provide means by which the operator may turn on the signallights,pre

paratory to making a right-hand or left-hand turn, and which will he automatically thrown to the off position when the vehicle has made its turn and resumed a straight course,

and the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an automatic switchcontrol for vehicle signal-lights constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig'. 5 is a sectional View on the line 5 5 of F ig. 1;

Fig. 6 is al sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7 7 of F ig. 1.

In carrying out my invention, I employ two plates 10 and 11 properly spaced apart and adapted to be mounted at a convenient point hy bolts 12. Extending through the iii piates 10 and 11 and supported by a bushing 13 in the plate 11 is a shaft 14 and on this shaft is a iong sleeve 15 carrying a disk-like shelf 16. Attached to this sleeve is an operating-arm 17 adapted toy be turned by the operator. Secured to the plate 10 by a screw 18 is a cup 19 of insulating material, and mounted in this cup are three binding-posts 20, 21 and 22 to which wires 23, 24 and 25 are connected and which extend to the signals (not shown). These posts are arranged equidistant from each other and provide contacts 26, 27 and 28. `Within the cup and secured to the sleeve 15 is a` block 29 of insulating material carrying a double-ended contactr spring' 30 secured between its ends 31 and 32,

which are rounded, so as to make close engagement with the contacts 26 and 27, or 26 and 28, according to the direction in which it is turned. The plate 10 is formed on opposite sides with transverse slots 33 and 34, and

between them with a segmental slot 35. Fixed to the shaft are rollers 36 and 37 adapted to ride upon the inner face of the plate 10 and seat in the slots 33 and 34, and to limit the movement of the sleeve 15, a stud 38 is mount-v ed in the shelf 16 and extends into the segmental slot 35.

Fixed to the shaft 14 is a hub y39 formed with a flange 40, and centrally recessed to receive a spring 41 which bears against the inner end of the sleeve 15. Between the flange 40 and shelf 16 is a disk 42 carrying dowels 43 and 44 which extend through holes 45 formed for them in the flange 40, and around the dowels, between the flange and shelf, are springs 46, and through the outer ends of the dowels, below the flange 40, are Cotter-pins 47.

Secured to the shaft 14 is a gear 48 meshing with a gear 49 on the rock-shaft 50 supported between the plates 10 and 11, and to this shaft connections are made by links 51, or other means, to a moving part of the steering-mechanism.

Before making a turn to the left, the operator moves the lever 17 so as to cause the contact 30 to connect the binding-posts 20 and 21, thus closing the circuit to one of the signal-lights.

In thus turning the sleeve to move the block 29, the shelf 16 is also turned, causing the rollers 36 and 37 to move out of the slots 33 and 34, which depresses the shelf 16, causing it to come into frictional contact with the disk 42, and, if desired, a layer of friction material 52 may be secured to the underside of the shelf. This downward movement of the sleeve is against the pressure of the spring 41 and also against the pressure of the springs 46, and the rotation of the sleeve is limited by the movement of the stud 38 in the slot 35.

After the turn is made and as the shaft 5() is turned to bring the vehicle into a straight course, the gear 49 turns the gear 48 and rotates the shaft 14 and with it the sleeve 15, bringing the rollers 36 and 37 again into engagement with the slots 33 and 34, and the contact 3() out of engagement with the contacts 26 and 27, as shown in Fig. 7 of material secured to the said outerv platel around said sleeve and carrying'three equi-` nwni uns bessen um: Wah very Simple kmechanism Iprovide for theturning on`-- of lights prior vto making a turn and automatically turning off the lights when the vehicle taires A a straight course. l

During the time of turning, the dislrlf will ride against the shelf with which it liasfrictional. contact-,and the movement of the shelf is limited by the engagement of the stud 38 with one end of the slot 85.

I claim: .Y

l. An Vautomatic switcli-coiitrol for `ve.-

hicle" signal-lights, 4comprising two plates '.'suitably spaced and mounted, a shaft externr ing through said plates and* having beaing therein, a sleeve onsaid shaft vand `extending through one of `said plates, a cup of insulating material` secured to Vsaid' pl ate around said sleeve, three 'equidistantlyspaced binding-postssecured to said cup, a bloclr of insulating materiall secured to said sleeve within the said cup, a contact-arm secured to said block and adapted to engage with two of said bindingeposts, a lever` se- *cur-ed tosaid sleeve and adapted to be moved by the operator, said sleeve provided with a shelf, rollersmounted on said shelf and bearing againstv 'one of .said plates, means for limiting the rotation of said sleeve, means between the shaft and the sleeve, whereby the former only moves the latter when the car straightens out after making' the turn, a reclr'shaft in gear-,connection with the said -shaft,and means between the said rock-shaft and steering-imechanisni, whereby the rockshaft lwill be movedV thereby.

2. An automatic switch-control for vehicle signal-lights, comprising an inner and an 'y outer plate, means for. spacing thesaid plates Aand mounting the same, a shaft extending through said plates and mounted therein, a sleeve on said shaft and extendingthrough theouter plate, said sleeve adapted to be turned by thev operator, a cup of insulating distantly-spaced contact binding-posts, said plate below said cup formed with two trans verse slots and Ya 'segmental slotV betweenv them,"said sleeve formed inside the router plate with a shelf, rollers ymounted on said yshelf and normally resting in said transverse slots, a pin mounted in said shelf and extending into said segmental slot, a hub securedfto said shaft and formed witha central recess, a spring in said recess and bearing against the inner end of said sleeve, a disk between said flange and shelf supported by dowels extending through said flange, springs on said dowels between the flange and disk, means to limit the separation of thedisk and flange, and a gear also fixed to saidshaft, a rock-shaft parallel to said shaft, a ge'a'r 'fixed to said roch-shaft and meshing ywith kthe gear on the shaft,l said rock-shaft adapted to'be turned by the steering-mechanism.,V y

3. An automatic switch-control for vehicle signal-lights, comprising an inner and an outer plate, means for spacing the said plates and mounting the saine, al shaft extending through said plates and mounted therein, a 'sleeve on said shaft and extending through the outer plate, said sleeve adapted to be turned by the operator, a cup of insulating materialY secured to the Ysaid outer plate around said sleevey and carrying three equidistantly-spaced contact binding-posts, said plate below said cup formed with two transverse slots and a segmental slot between them, said sleeve formed inside the outer plate with a shelf, rollers mounted on said shelf and normally resting in said transverse slots, a pin mounted in saidshelf and extending into saidsegmental slot, a hub securedto said shaft andformed with a central recess, a spring in said recess and bearing against the inner endof said sleeve, al disk between said flange and shelf supported l by dowels extending through said flange, springs on said dowels between the flange and disk, friction material between the disk and shelf, means to limit the separation of the dish and flange, and a gear also fixed to said shaft, a

rock-shaft parallel to said shaft, a `gear fixed to said'roclr-shaft and meshing with the gear on the shaft, said rock-shaft adapted to be turned by the steering-mechanism.

'In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification. p 1

vCLIFFORD H. HEMSTOCK. 

